East Cleveland's historic Tocketts Water Mill is fully operational again after major repair work.

The entire mill ground to a shuddering halt when wood rot caused the huge main waterwheel to jam.

Peter Morgan, one of the mill volunteers, said a new flagged floor, fitted about nine inches above the original one, probably to prevent water spilling across it, buried the timber frame. "A hundred years of secretive rotting in moist sand suddenly manifested itself on National Mills Day, May 14, when, no longer able to support the five tons of machinery, the frame collapsed. This caused the waterwheel to tilt over, allowing the large gearwheel to come out of mesh.

"Bringing the mill back into working order has taken weeks of work, mainly by John Harrison and his son John. This involved careful excavation, realignment of the shaft and the building of a new supporting frame."

Now it will open this Bank Holiday on Sunday and Monday, from 2pm to 4pm.

And the mill is slowly giving up its secrets, said Peter. "The timber framing revealed was of a type which predated the present mid 19th Century waterwheel," he said.

* The mill is located a mile east of Guisborough on the A173 to Skelton. Admission: adults £1.50, concessions £1 and accompanied children 25p.